Since it's winter, here's a question. How many folks use DSC to make
ship to ship calls, and if so what does your radio do if you don't answer?
Personally, I like having DSC, because sometimes when in a crowded area
the radio chatter can bea bit much. And, also, my VHF receiver has been
blown out by folks sitting next to me and transmitting with HF Radio at
those incredibly powerful wattages, and now my VHF picks up anything
within 1/8 mile that's within a few channels of where I am. So I end up
leaving my radio turned way down, and anyone who wants to talk to me can
use my MMSI to call because theDSC ring is loud. (It's also relatively
private, so everyone can't follow alongfrom the hailing channel and find
out all about who's on the boat and what I'm having for dinner. <VBG>)
Sohere's the deal. On my radio, and every other person I've talked
with, the radio remains on the channel that the caller selects before
placing the call. (For those who don't do this, to use DSC you find a
clear channel first and then dial the MMSI of the person you're
calling.) When you place a call, the radio uses Ch 70 for the digital
handshake, then switches to the clear conversation channel. That's cool,
but if the person isn't there, or is too busy to deal with a radio call,
the radio remains on the selected conversation channel. Example: I come
back to the boat and the radio is on 72,and the display shows the last
received call.
I think that's a safety issue, and wonder if current DSC radios have a
way to automatically go back to the original channel if a call is
missed. Imagine not hearing a call while underway, and then the radio
sits on 72 and you miss a May Day or a weatheralert. My radio is 12
years old, and everyone I know has a first generation DSC radio, so I
wonder if the new radios address this.
Wal
--
s/v Stella Blue
www.wbryant.com
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